And if you weren't paying attention to the final round of the 112th U.S. Open -- and Tiger's 6 over through six-hole start probably sent many scurrying to do yard work -- you missed what NBC did for roughly half of its broadcast.

Webb Simpson was clearly playing the best golf of the final few groups left out on the course, yet the first shot from Simpson the network deemed important enough to show didn't come until the ninth hole.

What we saw the rest of the way was the only guy nervy enough to not hit the ball sideways at Olympic Club's Lake course outside of San Francisco, the latest brutal Open track to force every golfer into black numbers.

Had he dropped a few more makeable birdie putts, the 26-year-old former Wake Forest All-American wouldn't have had to sweat out Graeme McDowell's 24-footer on the 18th hole to claim his first major title. But when the former UAB standout sent his birdie putt well left of the hole, Simpson became the 15th different player to win in the last 15 majors.

"I had a peace all day long, (and) I probably prayed more the last three holes than I ever did in my life," Simpson said.

Simpson, it must be noted, majored in religion in college.

No doubt, execs in TV Land were gnashing their teeth over Tiger's latest disappearing act. It's now officially been four years since his last win at a major -- when he one-legged his way past Rocco Mediate to win the Open at Torrey Pines -- and his 75-73 weekend finish didn't do anything to hint that he's ready to resume what moving forward looks to be a fruitless chase of Jack Nicklaus' record 18.

His finish Sunday, though, shouldn't have come as a surprise. Never in his 14 major wins has he rallied from behind in the final round.

A more ominous note: In his last six major starts, Woods has only one top 5 finish (the Masters in 2011), with the others being a tie for 23rd, a T-28, a missed cut, a T-40 and a T-21.

"I put myself out of it," Woods said of the troublesome start to his Sunday. "(Yesterday) I was just a fraction off."

A fraction would indicate inches, but his drives and approaches on the weekend were yards away from the short grass. And his clutch putting, long his strong suit, has abandoned him on the major stage.

Yes, he won at Arnie's event in March and Jack's tourney just last week, but those just aren't the same. Unfairly or not, the only thing left for Tiger to play for is history.

Lately, however, others have been making it. On Sunday, Simpson became the ninth consecutive first-time major winner.

The trend speaks to the depth of the PGA and European Tours, but it's probably not helping the game. The Wall Street Journal reported in February it is losing up to one million players a year in the U.S.

That wasn't the case when Woods ruled the roost. But those days appear to be over, with up-and-comers like Simpson left to fill in the void.

On Sunday, though, it took half a round to find him.

Contact Bill Bryant at bill.bryant@htimes.com or follow him on Twitter @willieb68